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“No Conclusion” on New Belongings, Coinbase Suggests Among the Ripple Rumors
Coinbase is pushing again versus stories that it may perhaps shortly increase Ripple’s XRP token to its existing buying and selling pairs.
The guess originated just after it exposed that Coinbase main working officer and president Asiff Hirji may well demonstrate up near by Ripple main government Brad Garlinghouse on a special episode of CNBC’s “Speedy Revenue” system on 6th March. What is actually far more, in spite of any really hard confirmation of the presumed listing, the price tag of XRP rose to around $1 on Monday.
Subsequent several hours of radio blackout on the problem, Coinbase made use of Twitter to drive back in opposition to the rumors, expressing that the January proclamation about listing new cryptocurrencies – which refined things how a “committee of internal professionals” inevitably make these selections – hadn’t improved.
Our January 4th, 2018 assertion carries on to stand: we have not made the decision to insert more assets to possibly GDAX or Coinbase.
As prepared CNBC phase, it truly is not clear irrespective of whether Garlinghouse and Hirji will converse on the panel or clearly show up independently. Host Melissa Lee tweeted a screenshot of a promo for the crypto-themed section prior nowadays, which likewise records Passport Money founder John Burbank and Social Money founder and CEO Chamath Palihapitiya.
A consultant for Ripple declines to comment on the rumors when attained.
Ripple has seen a further excellent thirty day period not withstand its cryptocurrency asset XRP getting rid of appreciably vs . unequaled highs in early January.
XRP has received the focus of its customers’ by shooting up to 1,000 % at the start off of this year as very well as new clientele its blockchain startup has turn out to be the converse of the crypto marketplace in 2018.
Nevertheless, it is critical that the newcomers are conscious that the root of all this enthusiasm is thanks to unique promises by the startup- precisely, that its tech would be doable to transfigure international payments, strengthening the out-of-date procedures which are adopted for payments and income among significant economical establishments.
According to Ripple, not only are its items much less expensive and speedier but it also proudly endorses them as being more methodical than the companies readily available in the marketplace at present, an assert that emphasizes principally on its use of cryptocurrency and blockchain engineering.
Coinbase just threw a little bit of cold drinking water on Ripple lovers eager to see their coin hit the preferred mainstream exchange.
Rumors that Ripple’s XRP would be upcoming in line immediately after Bitcoin Money reached a fever pitch this 7 days among coin hoopla styles, with some looking at amongst the strains of a Tuesday phase of CNBC’s Quick Dollars that’s established to aspect Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse and Coinbase President Asiff Hirji in what seems to be a panel discussion on cryptocurrency traits.
Speculation centered on the Fast Money segment drove XRP up to $1.07, up about 6% from weekly averages. Ripple’s XRP continues to be the only coin in the prime five by market place cap that isn’t really obtainable on Coinbase, although provided XRP’s centralized character and very distinctive aims when in contrast to other cryptocurrency assignments, its absence is not that stunning. However, there is plenty of investing fascination and those people factors never preclude Coinbase from including XRP in the future had been it to decide on to do so.
Any statement to the contrary is untrue and not approved by the enterprise.” Following the statement, XRP slid back again modestly towards its preceding averages.
The firm also connected to a January 5 blog site put up on its criteria for introducing new assets. That article states that “Coinbase will announce the addition of new assets only by using our site put up or other official channels.” The organization likely is just not keen to repeat the chaos about the introduction of Bitcoin Dollars. Aid for Coinbase’s newest asset was announced formally effectively forward of time, but the rollout itself was marred by significant rates, a trading freeze and an interior insider buying and selling investigation.


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The Ascent of Trust
There have been a slew of articles recently discussing the concept of Trust. Maybe I notice them more because Trust is at the heart of the FourForty proposition, so I unconsciously seek affirmation that we’re doing something right. Instead though, potentially warm feelings of validation are mostly replaced with tutting, frowning, and ultimately a reach for the keyboard. So what’s my problem?
The problem is that Trust is being hijacked. It’s being seen as a concept to be owned by a department as part of a drive towards transparency. And no, the wearisome irony of a department for transparency is not lost.
This belief that Trust belongs somewhere - current thinking suggests that’s somewhere in IT - is fuelled by the growth in corporate dependence on data. In essence, data transparency IS trust. So much so that; “Once one company is trusted, others are immediately perceived by consumers as distrusted. Once one company is transparent, the lack of transparency from another company is immediately visible and loathed”*
This definitive, zero-sum statement came from a recent article on the CIO website. And it’s a satisfyingly binary statement on the currently unstable, even volatile relationship between consumers and companies. Trust in corporates and institutions is at an all-time low. The 2020 Edelman Trust Barometer depressingly states that; “despite a strong global economy and near full employment, none of the four societal institutions that the study measures—government, business, NGOs and media—is trusted”**. Fakery and the facade of ‘doing good’ appears to be disguising questionable behaviours, most notably among the newly-demonised big tech and social media titans, but elsewhere too.
The problem with this concept is that it sees Trust as a separate, distinct, functional aspect of what a company does in respect of its customers. Back to the CIO article; “Much like price and quality became second-class differentiators giving way to experience and engagement as first-class differentiators around the millennium, trust and transparency are now new differentiators and have entered the corporate arena unseating differentiation capabilities such as experience and engagement. Trust and transparency are presenting as the new first-class differentiators, with experience, engagement, price and quality all now settling in as second-class”*
This argument, that evolutionary, winner-takes-all Darwinian principles are at play is somewhat misleading. Price & Quality have not been rendered obsolete by Experience & Engagement, however comforting that idea may be for a Director of Experience & Engagement. So - no. Trust & Transparency really hasn’t wielded its mighty hammer and smashed its way to the top of the heap. It feels rather remedial to have to say so, but ALL these elements are vital to corporate health, vitality and commercial success.
Trust IS a vital evolution
Taking these same concepts, we can say that price and quality are vital table stakes, without which there isn’t even a business. Experience and engagement are signs of a maturing business, capable of hearing and adapting to its customers’ needs. And Trust is indeed a big one. It’s a distillation of everything a company does, and how it does so. Much like a malt whisky is a reflection of its location, its ingredients, the experience and taste of the distiller - and much more besides. The Trust a company is capable of building is a reflection of ALL these elements, rather than a hegemony of one.
*‘Chief Trust Officers: Who, Why and When’ - www.cio.com

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STOCKHOLM—Sales at Hennes & Mauritz HMB 0.27 % AB declined for a fifth consecutive month, as the once-thriving clothing retailer struggles to hold on to customers in the intensely competitive fast-fashion market.
H&M said Friday it has opened 327 stores in the past year, helping total sales to increase 5% in February, but sales at stores open more than a year fell 3%. The current comparable-sales slump is the company's longest since spring 2009, when consumer spending bowed to the financial crisis.
Shoppers haven't deserted the fast-fashion market, which offers frequent turnover in styles, as some of H&M's rivals are doing better. Spain's Inditex SA, ITX 0.91 % which owns the highly successful Zara chain, reported an annual sales increase of more than 16% earlier this week, while Japan's Fast Retailing Co. FRCOY -0.14 % , which operates the Uniqlo brand, said February same-store sales rose 9.6%. Even U.S.-based Gap Inc., GPS -0.26 % which previously came under fire for poor fashion choices, reported a 11% increase in total February sales and hasn't seen a drop since last April.
Zara has a lightning-fast supply chain, with 50% of its clothes made in Western Europe. That allows it to capture catwalk and luxury trends and put product in its stores within weeks—something customers are prepared to pay a premium for.
H&M, with its longer supply chain, can't keep pace in terms of fashion, so it tries to compete on price instead: H&M's offerings are on average about 60% cheaper than Zara's. But the Stockholm-based chain is still more expensive than budget competitors such as Primark, owned by Associated British Foods ASBFY -0.16 % PLC, and U.S. chain Forever 21, leaving H&M struggling to position itself.
H&M's fashion-designer collaborations and celebrity collections get a lot of media attention—actor Helen Hunt attended the Academy Awards in a specially designed eco-friendly H&M dress. But its stores are stocked heavily with basics such as T-shirts and trousers, for which customers tend to shop around to get the best price. Meanwhile, Primark, which is about 50% cheaper on comparable products, has opened a distribution center in western Germany that could lead to significant new-store openings in the country—H&M's biggest market.
Bernstein analyst Jamie Merriman sees two choices for H&M. Either it should cut prices to blunt the growth of lower-price competitors, putting further pressure on its margins. Or it can back out of the bottom end of the market and target customers who are prepared to pay more for such products as its recently launched Conscious Collection of clothes made from organic cotton.
"The question is how successful they can be in convincing customers to pay a higher price for their products," said Ms. Merriman. "It's still early days."
H&M in January unveiled plans for a new chain called & Other Stories, aimed at a more-affluent shopper. But Ms. Merriman said the move even if well-conceived won't make a difference in the short term as new store concepts are slow to take hold. Inditex's Massimo Dutti brand, for example, has been around for 20 years and now has 500 stores, but still accounts for only 7% of company sales. So H&M's launch of seven new stores "is just not going to be meaningful for group results," the London-based analyst said.
Write to Jens Hansegard at email@example.com


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Stockholm-based virtual reality studio Resolution Games has received $6 million in Series A funding - the largest investment a VR developer has received to date.
Resolution, co-founded by former King games guru, Tommy Palm, received huge backing from Google Ventures, who believe mobile VR will be at the "forefront" of virtual reality development in the years ahead.
“We are thrilled to have the support of such high caliber thought leaders and VCs and to see they are confident in our team and strategy of making games everyone can enjoy,” explained Palm.
“The funds will give us the ability to ensure our longevity. As we learned with the mobile games market, perseverance is critical for building a successful company in an emerging market.
“Resolution Games will be around for years to come and will be able to focus on making the correct strategic choices to help the VR Games market grow into its potential.”


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Tesla has upstaged its own debut of an electric heavy duty truck by unveiling a new Roadster. Chief Executive Elon Musk says it will be the fastest production car ever. Ryan Brooks reports.
A media blitz as Elon Musk rolls out one of his biggest ideas yet. The brand-new Tesla Semi taking to the stage in Los Angeles on Thursday night (November 16), with the CEO getting fans pumped about its sleek design and self-driving technology. It's the bang Tesla needed just weeks after its worst financial quarter ever, And as Reuters' Alexandria Sage reports, the crowd certainly seemed to buy into the hype. (SOUNDBITE) (English) REUTERS REPORTER ALEXANDRIA SAGE SAYING: "Behind me you can see that people are jostling to get a picture of Elon Musk's new Tesla semi, this is the big rig, the class eight vehicle that he says will drive 500 miles on a single charge. That is much further than people were expecting in the industry. Musk also said that the vehicle will be cheaper, 20% than a diesel vehicle, and of course diesel, diesel is now what rules the highways." Musk says electric semi trucks are key to his company's push to shift the economy away from fossil fuels, although that'll mean big investment in new factories, and a lot more spending that the billion dollars per quarter that Tesla's already pumping into a plant for it's Model 3 sedans. But this wasn't a night for over-thinking the details, and ever the showman, Musk even managed to upstage the truck fans had flocked in to see. (SOUNDBITE) (English) REUTERS REPORTER ALEXANDRIA SAGE SAYING: "Tesla always likes to put on a show, and tonight it was no different- a roadster, a new Tesla roadster, drove out the back of a semi-truck and Elon Musk announced that yes there will be a new roadster that will drive up to 250 miles per hour with an acceleration of 0 to 60 in less than 2 seconds." Musk didn't give an idea of what the new Semi would cost, or say how it would be made, but experts are already warning it could prove to be an expensive distraction for Tesla if it can't compete with time-tested diesel rigs. America's fourth-largest small freight company, Old Dominion, has already told Reuters they've opted out.


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HOUSTON, Sept. 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- NaturallyU, LLC, an all-natural health company, today announced that Napz will now be available in Fresh Thyme Farmers Market throughout the Midwest region of the United States. The Fresh Thyme mission is to service their customers like family and to offer healthy, good food and products at really good prices. As the best all-natural sleep solution, Napz fits in nicely with the Fresh Thyme agenda.
When reached for comment, NAPZ CEO, Brandi Maxwell said, "We're thrilled to be partnering with another fast-growing company like Fresh Thyme. They have an excellent vision of what they want to accomplish. We think NAPZ is the best all-natural sleep aid on the market and we're glad to be a part of the Fresh Thyme family! We look forward to a long and mutually profitable relationship."
Napz is currently available in Fresh Thyme Farmers Markets in the following states: Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio and Wisconsin. To find the store nearest you, visit here https://napz.com/store-locator/
About Fresh Thyme
Fresh Thyme Farmers Market is a full-service specialty retailer focusing on value-priced fresh, healthy, natural and organic offerings. It boasts an extensive produce department with organic and local fruits and vegetables, a natural meat department, healthy deli foods to go, bakery goods, 400 bulk food bins, dairy and frozen, and health supplement products. Fresh Thyme is scheduled to open 60 stores by 2019.
NAPZ, an all-natural, non-habit forming, short-term sleep aid is a product of Houston based NaturallyU, LLC. The company launched NAPZ in summer of 2014. At first, starting in just 3 Houston stores, NAPZ can now be found nationwide in hundreds of stores. For more information, visit https://napz.com/
This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com.
To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/all-natural-sleep-aid-napz-by-naturallyu-llc-is-now-available-in-fresh-thyme-farmers-market-300332722.html
SOURCE NaturallyU, LLC


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While debate rages over the economic implications of New Zealand's supermarket duopoly, the New Zealand Association of Convenience Stores (NZACS) has called for greater recognition of the overall value of the convenience store offer.
NZACS Chairman Roger Bull said the concept of value is too often interpreted simply as price, while other elements contributing to real value are often overlooked.
Hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders visit their local convenience store to buy an ice‐cream on a sweltering summer day, pick up the milk and their paper, buy munchies late at night while studying for exams, choose a lotto ticket, rent a trailer, grab a cup of hot coffee on the way to work or simply fill up the car with petrol.
For decades convenience stores have provided a valuable service to the community and have become a fixture in many small towns. They are the modern general store and continue to evolve in the face of significant challenges posed by the large supermarkets," said Mr Bull.
Actively involved in local communities, convenience stores are open all hours to service customers' needs, they carry a range of products proven to be wanted by customers, they offer easy parking, are conveniently located, provide ATM's and other essential services, and participate in regular product promotions.
Importantly, the vast majority of convenience stores are in the main operated by small business people that employ their families and staff from the local area they serve.
Supporting these small businesses in the current retail environment and recognising the valuable services they provide is essential for an industry that employs thousands of New Zealanders at a local level.
NZACS encourages regulators and politicians to keep a watchful eye on practices that seek to disadvantage small businesses - the major employers in the country and the lifeblood of many of New Zealand communities.
"The need for consumers to support their local independent retailers is greater than ever," Mr Bull said.
Supporting local retailers and small businesses now is the best safeguard against the price hikes and continued erosion of choice that could materialise if dominant major retailers continue to sweep away all before them in their supermarkets' aggressive path to growth.
"More than this, it's important for consumers to remember and recognise the many valuable services convenience stores provide and the special place they hold in the community," he said.


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Brummie comedy housewife Barbara Nice raised smiles as well as funds in Kings Heath today (Friday 23 November) by helping a local charity celebrate the opening of its new furniture shop.
Acorns Children’s Hospice, which has operated an existing shop on Kings Heath High Street for 30 years, doubled its presence in the popular shopping destination with the brand new shop in Addison Road.
‘Mother-of-five’ Barbara, the creation of talented writer, performer and comedian Janice Connolly BEM, was on hand to cut the ribbon officially opening the new store, which offers pre-loved furniture and homeware.
Barbara said: “I’m delighted to have been invited to open Acorns new furniture store. It’s an honour to be able to support Acorns and its incredible work helping children and families. I hope lots of people pop in and see what this exciting new addition to Kings Heath has to offer.”
Barbara was joined by staff, volunteers and supporters of the charity who all celebrated the shop’s opening with cake.
Val Hammond, Acorns Head of Retail, said: “We’re thrilled that Janice, as her wonderful character Barbara Nice, was able to join us for the opening of our second shop in Kings Heath.
“Janice is a big supporter of Acorns and understands how crucial funds raised through our retail shops are in helping us continue our vital work. She really made it a day to remember and we can’t thank her enough.”
Acorns has over 50 shops on high streets across the region raising money towards the £10 million per year the charity needs to continue its work providing vital care for life limited and life threatened children and support for their families.
The charity’s shop on King Heath High Street offers good quality clothing, shoes, toys, CDs and DVDs, while the new Addison Road store has the pre-loved furniture and homeware at bargain prices.
Donating good quality items is a quick way to support Acorns and all profits made go directly back to the charity.
Acorns is appealing for more volunteers to put their spare time and talent to good use at one of the charity’s retail shops. For more information about volunteering opportunities, please visit www.acorns.org.uk/shop-volunteer
Photo caption: Comedy favourite Barbara Nice officially opens Acorns new furniture shop in Kings Heath.
For more information or for interview, photograph or filming opportunities, contact the PR and Communications team:
Notes to editors:
Due to the sensitive nature of Acorns care services it refrains from using the words ‘terminal’ or ‘terminally ill’ in its press releases and public communications when describing the children who use Acorns and the conditions that they have. Instead, Acorns uses the words ‘life limited’, ‘life limiting’, or ‘life threatening’. Acorns kindly requests that you respect this in your communications when referring to Acorns Children’s Hospice. Acorns children have a lot of living to do. Thank you.
- This year Acorns is celebrating its 30th Acorns in Birmingham, Selly Oak was opened in 1988 by HRH Diana, Princess of Wales. Acorns in the Black Country, Walsall opened in 1999 and Acorns for the Three Counties, Worcester opened in 2005. To find out more visit www.acorns.org.uk/30years
- Acorns is currently the UK and the world’s largest children’s hospice charity, as measured by the number of children it is helping to care for.
- It costs nearly £10 million a year to run Acorns services providing care for children and support for their families. The charity relies heavily on donations to fund the majority of its activities.
- To find out more about Acorns, please visit acorns.org.uk


text: Meta-owned WhatsApp on Tuesday launched a dedicated 'Safety in India' resource hub. It highlights a number of security measures to help people stay safe online. It highlights several security measures to help people stay safe online Resource Hub will guide users on a range of important topics around online safety, privacy and security It is made available as a standalone webpage Meta-owned WhatsApp on Tuesday launched a dedicated 'Safety in India' resource hub. It highlights a number of security measures to help people stay safe online. The launch of Resource Hub follows the hashtag #TakeCharg, a week-long campaign by WhatsApp to promote safe use of the Internet. Abhijit Bose, Head of WhatsApp in India, said in a statement, “The safety of our users is at the core of everything we do on WhatsApp and launching a dedicated 'Safety in India' resource hub will help users enhance their online safety. Control is a way to reiterate our commitment to educate and empower.' "Over the years, we've made significant product changes to help increase user security and privacy," Bose said. In addition to continuous product innovations, we have also continuously invested in cutting-edge technology, artificial intelligence, data scientists, experts and processes to support user safety.' Resource Hub explores a range of important topics around online safety, privacy and security, dispelling common myths, and creating awareness on how users can stay safe from potential cyber scams in today's digitally connected world . Through the 'Safety in India' hub, WhatsApp aims to create awareness about various security measures and in-built product features that empower users to take control of their safety while using the service. Resource Hub It also highlights the advanced technology that WhatsApp deploys with India-specific processes that help prevent the spread of misinformation and any misuse on the platform. "We hope this resource will equip users with the information they need to protect their privacy and navigate the Internet safely," Bose said.


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Although another month of 2021 has ended, the list of zero-days continues to grow; in this week's digest, we explore the latest Chrome zero-days patched by Google. We will also dive into how researchers were able to make fraudulent payments using ApplePay on a locked iPhone and the latest VoIP provider to suffer a DDoS attack. Keep reading to stay up to date with the biggest and latest cyber security news from the week.
Academic researchers from the University of Surrey and the University of Birmingham have discovered a way in which you can make fraudulent payments using Apple Pay from a locked iPhone with a Visa card in the digital wallet with express mode enabled. The method can be seen as a digital version of pickpocketing. Even if the iPhone is in a bag or someone's pocket, it works over the air, and there is no transaction limit. Researchers say that the issue is caused by using a unique code, named "magic bytes", that is broadcast by transit gates and turnstiles to unlock Apple Pay. They could trick the iPhone into thinking it was talking to a transit gate using standard radio equipment.
A new advanced trojan, named BloodyStealer, has been found on underground forums, and it is being used to steal gamer accounts of various platforms such as Steam, Epic Games Store and EA Origin. According to researchers, BloodyStealer first emerged last March on the dark web, being sold at $10 for a one-month subscription or $40 for a lifetime subscription. The stealer swipes data, including cookies, passwords, forms, bank-card information saved in browsers, screenshots, login memory and application sessions. There has been a growing demand on the dark web for stolen gamer accounts over the past year.
Bandwidth.com has become the latest victim of distributed denial of service attacks targeting VoIP providers this month, leading to nationwide voice outages over the past few days. Bandwidth is a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services company that provides voice telephony over the Internet to businesses and resellers. Due to this, many other VoIP vendors also reported outages this week, including Twilio and RingCentral. Earlier in September, provider VoiP.ms also suffered a catastrophic DDoS attack used as part of a ransomware attack.
JVC Kenwood has suffered a Conti ransomware attack this week in which threat actors claim to have stolen 1.7 TB of data and are demanding a $7 million ransom. Conti attackers breached the Kenwood servers belonging to its sales companies based in Europe and could access company data. As proof that they stole data, the threat actors shared a PDF file indicating a scanned passport for a JVCKenwood employee.


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Reducing, Reusing Europe's 2.5 Million Tonnes of Plastic in e-Waste Each YearBy Staff Reporter, UniversityHerald Reporter
A European Commission-funded project supported by the United Nations is calling for consumers to demand electronic and electrical products made with recycled plastic, and for manufacturers to redesign products to both improve recyclability and integrate recycled plastics in new products.
The call is made by PolyCE (for Post-Consumer High-tech Recycled Polymers for a Circular Economy), a multinational consortium led by Fraunhofer IZM and consisting of universities (UN University, Bonn; University of Ghent, Belgium; Technical University Berlin; and University of Northampton, UK), civil society organisations (European Environmental Bureau), and numerous companies -- including Philips and Whirlpool. The 20 partners launching the two-year campaign are based or operate in nine countries: Belgium, The Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Austria, Spain, Finland, the USA and the UK.
According to the Nordic Council of Ministers, plastics account for about 20% of all materials in electronic and electrical equipment (EEE), most of it not designed for recovery and reuse.
The PolyCE consortium is launching a two-year campaign to raise awareness among consumers and manufacturers in order to change their attitudes towards recycled plastics and improve their market uptake.
Says project partner Kim Ragaret, University of Gent: "Plastics are a valuable resource with a great potential for circularity. Plastics themselves aren't the problem; our so-called plastics problems relate to attitudes and waste management."
Plastics are essential for making many different components of electronic and electrical products, including phones, computers, TVs, vacuum cleaners, hairdryers and household appliances.
According to PolyCE consortium experts products can be designed in ways that make material recovery of plastic components easier.
Of the more than 12 million tonnes of e-waste expected next year in Europe (EU, Norway and Switzerland), an estimated 2.5 million tonnes (23 percent) will be plastics.
That's the weight equivalent of 62,500 fully-loaded 40-tonne trucks -- enough to form a line from Rome to Frankfurt -- and 2.5 times the 1 million tonnes of plastic landfilled as e-waste components in the year 2000.
The PolyCE consortium noted a report from Sweden that, globally, just 10% of higher grade plastics from durable goods is recovered and recycled worldwide today, which compares poorly with average 50 to 90% recovery and recycling rates for metals and glass).
The project illustrates through a number of demonstrators that making EEE containing high-quality recycled plastics is economically feasible for manufacturers, and the products are just as long-lasting and durable as those containing virgin plastics. In addition, buying EEE containing recycled plastics offers many other benefits for the environment.
Recycling plastic would not only take pressure off waste systems (in Europe, some 31% of plastic waste still enters landfills while 39% is incinerated) every tonne recycled would also help avoid up to 3 tonnes of CO2 emissions created making new plastic.
A recent consumer survey, carried out by the PolyCE project (link), found that half of respondents didn't know if they'd ever bought a tech product that included recycled plastic. Of the 25% who said yes to the question, 86% noticed no difference in quality, appearance or performance.
Informed about the health and environmental benefits of recycled plastic components in EEE, 95% of those surveyed confirmed that they'd buy products with that feature.
According to the survey, consumers show high willingness to act in line with the circular economy, but actual engagement is still pretty low, unfortunately. But communication is key.
"The consumer has absolutely vital roles in a sustainable, circular economy and manufacturing system," says UN University e-waste expert Ruediger Kuehr. "The first is to postpone replacing electronic and electrical products by repairing old ones. And when these products are discarded, recycle them properly -- help turn refuse into resources for the sake of the planet's health and our own. Finally, consumers should favour products made with recycled plastic and use their individual purchasing power to support products that have designed out waste and designed in reused materials."
Manufacturers, meanwhile, need to improve designs so that a product's plastic components are more easily recovered for recycling, use recycled plastic in their products, and advertise that feature to consumers.
"Major environmental and financial savings could be achieved simply through better design," adds Dr. Kuehr. "For some products, such as tablet computers and smartphones, a majority of their manufacturing costs and environmental consequences are the results of decisions made at the product design stage."
"In the end, realization of a circular economy will be a joint effort between product designers, manufacturers and material recyclers, as well as consumers."


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UCB launches digital banking platform Upay
United Commercial Bank (UCB) yesterday launched a digital banking platform—Upay—for its clients.
AE Abdul Muhaimen, managing director of the bank, announced the launch of the payment platform at a programme at the Westin Dhaka hotel.
For the first time in the country Upay will use the advanced technologies like Blockchain and QR Code to ensure secure financial transactions, Muhaimen told reporters.
The platform will help the bank's retail and corporate clients access their accounts and perform all banking transactions, according to the bank.
Upay has introduced the service aiming to promote cashless and universal banking meaning anytime-anywhere payments using mobile phones in Bangladesh.
The platform will cater to all consumers, corporate and government payments like merchant shopping, bill payment, fund transfer, loan repayment, inward remittance, insurance premium, salary disbursement, and e-commerce.
Moreover, actions for purchase of digital cheque for gifts, redemption of voucher and reward points, balance inquiry, and mini statement can also be performed, said the bank. Senior officials of the bank were present at the programme. UCB is a first generation private bank established in 1983.


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IN a move aimed at improving brand awareness the Welsh Development Agency has culled its multitude of programme logos.
Following a review instigated by the agency's marketing director Gareth John, the agency's business support initiatives will no longer have individual logos.
Although the programmes like Potentia and Source Wales, will maintain their brand names, all with now use the WDA's corporate Welsh dragon designed logo - which has been slightly re-designed to make reproduction easier.
The re-branding exercise was carried out by London-based design agency Glazer, at a cost of #160,000.
However, the agency estimates that a single logo will generate annual savings of around #700, 000 a year.
However initiatives like the business incubator technium project, will continue to use their own logo.
Mr John said, "There have been issues with companies because they were being sign posted by so many different programme brands.
"Something had to be done and we have spent the last six months working towards being more customer focused, with a single logo a key element in that strategy."


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We’ve seen a ton of devices with different model numbers that could end up being a Motorola Nexus 6, and today you can add the Moto XT1112 to that growing list. The XT1112 showed up in Zauba’s database, which is an import/export system that tracks devices coming in and out of India. Interestingly, though, the description for that particular model is “SHAMU PHONES (PROTOTYPE) (FOR DEMO PURPOSE) MOTOROLA XT1112″ which could just mean that particular model is the version that’s going to be sold in India. Or, it could be something else entirely. At this point it’s anyone’s guess.
It is expected that a Nexus tablet will arrive this fall to coincide with the release of Android L. We have seen it referred to as Flounder, Volantis, and Nexus 9. The tablet, regardless of what you call it, is widely expected to be manufactured by HTC and a tablet matching its profile has received WiFi certification on August 15.
The certification is filed under the “Tablet (Wi-Fi and other)” section rather than WiFi-only. This means that Google is presumably going to carry both a WiFi version and an LTE-ready version. Here, have multiple stock keeping units (SKUs) and that likely confirms the different various; however, it could also indicate a choice of color or storage for this Nexus device.
Source: Wi-Fi Alliance [PDF Download Link]
MacroDroid’s latest update (2.3.8) comes with Android Wear support, which will give users a plethora of new features for customizing your android experience. Using the Android Wear trigger from within the app will allow you to set up certain macros to invoke from within the app. the Trigger can also be set up to start as soon as your device connects to your phone. You can also quick launch the app by swiping down from the top corners of your device when the screen is on.
Fans of Flappy Bird may have been excited to download its sequel, Swing Copters, and then were either greeted by a cheap knock-off or disappointed to find that they had to sift through dozens of clones that were released before the official app even saw the light of day. Thankfully, Google has taken matters into their own hands and have removed all of the clones from the Play Store.
If you’ve got an LG G3, you might know exactly what I’m talking about — or you might find out pretty soon.
It appears that G3 customers from all over the world are having issues with the microphone area cracking. It’s becoming a pretty common issue, so we expect that LG as well as the carriers know about this already and are prepared to give out new devices to those who have had the issue with their device.
Hit the break for photos to see what we mean.
It’s any techie’s dream. One charger for all (most) of their devices.
We’ve seen devices piled up on power-mats, but nothing really close to a three-way USB charger.
The USB plugs into the wall charger (as usual) on one end, and on the other, there three micro-USB plugs split from the original cable. With the $39.99 device, you’ll be sufficiently able to charge three devices at once — but is it worth it?
Were you interested in getting a Samsung Galaxy S5 at launch but were deterred by its pricetag?
Well now might be a good time to pounce.
The Samsung flagship is currently on sale for only $79.99 (with a new two-year contract) at Radio Shack.
If you need a refresher on what the device has to offer, check out our review here.
Source: Radio Shack
Many have argued that the market isn’t yet ready for a massive influx of smartwatches, but Samsung would disagree — and perhaps that’s all that matters.
We’ve already seen the Galaxy Gear, Gear 2, Gear 2 Neo, Gear Fit and Gear Live come from the manufacturer, and it appears that we should be expecting the arrival of the Gear 3 relatively soon.
Loyal Samsung users have been waiting years for a Galaxy device with a metal body, and Samsung has finally granted their wish with the upcoming Galaxy Alpha. There is no denying the Alpha is an attractive device, and on top of that its Samsung’s slimmest smartphone to date. For the curious-minded folks out there, Samsung has also posted a detailed entry on their blog showcasing the manufacturing process behind the Galaxy Alpha.
Virtual reality is a hot topic these days, and it seems Samsung is dunking their toes in early. Some images of what appears to be Samsung’s rumored Gear VR have made their way onto the internet, conspicuously close to the upcoming IFA 2014 event. Bearing the model number SM-R320, the Gear VR is expected to compete with Sony’s upcoming Project Morpheus headset. The headset boasts the advantage of being developed in collaboration with Oculus VR, makers of the Oculus Rift, and is rumored to feature an OLED display.


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Halkitis: VAT reduction helped costs not be as high as they would have been
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Economic Affairs Minister Michael Halkitis said yesterday that imported inflation is to blame for the noticeable increase in the price of goods despite the reduction in value-added tax (VAT) from 12 to 10 percent earlier this month.
Halkitis told reporters that the reduction in the VAT rate has contributed to prices not going up as high as they could have in light of supply chain issues driving up the cost of goods for importers and ultimately consumers.
“We import most of what we consume. Prices have been going up due to certain challenges with the supply chain,” Halkitis said.
“We have seen it at the highest level for quite a number of years in the United States, where they are experiencing issues with the supply and prices going up as a result.
“Hopefully it works itself out over the next weeks and months so we can see a reduction, but it is a function of imported inflation.”
As to the impact of the VAT reduction, Halkitis said: “That VAT went down from 12 percent to 10 percent on thousands of goods and services.
“The reduction on the rate of VAT would have contributed to the prices not going up as much if it had stayed at 12 percent.
“We don’t think that’s a factor at all. We think it’s contributing to the price not going up as high as it can.”
Super Value owner Rupert Roberts recently warned consumers that food prices will continue to rise as a result of global inflation.
Roberts urged consumers to stock up on items at current prices as they will increase in the coming months.


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SOUTH Fremantle bar Percy Flint could be the first hospitality venue in WA to become a co-working space.
Marketing and media consultant Melissa Bowen created My Hustle with an aim to use bars as a co-working space during the working day.
Ms Bowen said two problems had inspired her to start the business.
“I am a small bar owner and in this current climate you are always conscience about paying the rent,” she said.
“The other part of my life, I realised how many people like me just need a good productive place to work, filled with other people.
“My Hustle is basically a business that transforms bars and relaxed comfortable welcoming spaces during the work week when they are not utilised in their other means.”
Ms Bowen said the business had attracted a real mix of people despite the perception that these spaces were for young tech start ups.
“Co working is for a lot of different types of people and you would be surprised by the ages and professions we’ve had,” she said.
“We’ve had a lot of creatives, digital marketing consultants, a lawyer, vet, online retailers that are working out of their homes, on the road beer reps, it’s a real mix of people.
“Working from home can be very lonely, isolating, distracting and unproductive and in the end that ends up being frustrating.”
She said the co working space was incredible supportive with everyone offering something different.
“We don’t necessary suit people who want a full office setup but we do suit a lot of people who want to move up from home offices or out of their car,” she said.
“We think if we can get the model really right here we can chat to other hospitality earners.”
For more information go to http://myhustle.space/


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Kenya’s tourism promoters said Thursday it will be hosting some 180 key travel trade representatives from 35 key tourism market countries later this week for a global exhibition to help boost the country’s tourism sector.
The Magical Kenya Travel Expo (MKTE) which will be held from Oct.10 will see buyers traverse the country from the pristine coastal beaches to Kenya’s national parks and reserves, conservancies, experience a rich mix of adventure, culture, authentic safari while sampling Kenya’s cuisine.
“We are expecting close to 180 hosted buyers from about 35 countries. They will begin their tour of the country on Oct. 10-13 before attending the main Expo,” Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) Managing Director Muriithi Ndegwa said in a statement issued in Nairobi.
Ndegwa said the expo has attracted travel agents, tour operators, hoteliers and trade media from Kenya’s key tourism source markets among them Africa, Americas, Asia and Europe have begun arriving into the country.
He said the expo is one of the major events that KTB has identified as a platform to reinforce Kenya’s resilience and zeal to market her tourism products which resonates well with this year’s theme Sustainability; Keeping the magic Alive.
In its fifth year, this year’s MKTE will be held from Oct. 15-17 in the country’s coastal region of Kwale.
Since its inception MKTE has attracted interest and attention from the stakeholders as evidenced by the growth of exhibitors to over 40 percent in the past four years.
Some of the new entrants this year includes Radisson Blue Nairobi, China Southern Airlines and Lufthansa.
Over ten county governments are to showcase in the expo while international tourism boards represented include Burundi, India, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe.
Ndegwa said the three-day event will be preceded by a familiarisation trip to showcase tourism products to the hosted buyers who are pre-qualified decision-makers and influencers from the travel trade and therefore presenting an opportunity to endorse Kenya as a tourism destination to beat.
The East African nation has stepped up its marketing blitz to woo key source markets in wake of a decrease in tourist arrivals occasioned by unabated spate of insecurity brought about by acts of terrorism from Al-Shabaab and travel advisories issued by countries that provide key source markets.
MKTE was initiated to profiling the destination and place Kenya in the global tourism map. This borrows from other widely publicised exhibitions that KTB has benchmarked on and has attended over the years.
The Expo additionally continues to provide a platform for business to business interactions between hosted buyers and Kenya’s tourism sector players.
Tourism is the second largest source of foreign exchange revenue for Kenya after tea, with the main tourist attractions being photo safaris through 19 national parks and game reserves, though the country has been diversifying to other areas like eco-tourism, conference tourism and cultural tourism.


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Google’s life-changing new feature
DRIVERS can wave goodbye to speeding fines thanks to a new Google Maps feature.
The tech giant is expected to add speed limit indicators and speed camera locations to its navigation technology.
Fixed speed camera location will appear as an icon along your directed route and the app will warn as you approach. It is also expected drivers will be able to report a mobile speed camera location.
And there will be no more excuses for not knowing the posted speed limit on any road as the app will display the maximum speed on the screen.
A Google spokesperson says: "Since last year, Android users in Australia have had the ability to report speed traps, speed cameras, and crashes straight from their mobile app. These reports will appear on the map within minutes, helping nearby drivers better plan and navigate their route. Users will also be able to verify reports with a quick voting tool to help ensure accuracy"
These features are not new but are mow more accessible and free to all road users, who would usually require a luxury car or the more expensive versions of mainstream vehicles to get access to such tech.
Many new cars can recognise speed signs and then show the limit via the head-up display or instrument panel.
Built-in satnav and aftermarket equipment also show fixed speed cameras and posted speed limits.
The integration of these features has been expected for some time, since Google bought the popular crowdsourcing traffic app Waze in 2013.
Waze displays all fixed speed cameras but also allows users to add the location of mobile speed cameras and RBTs in real time.
However, it has taken about six years for the functionality to go live in Maps.
Users in the UK began noticing the features in January this year but previously no timeline had been given on when it would be made available to more users.
The move is a boon for drivers who use Android Auto and Apple Car Play, which support Google Maps and allow users to employ popular apps through their car's digital screen.


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Maruti kicks off Auto Expo with two cars, SX4 S-Cross and Ciaz1 min read . Updated: 06 Feb 2014, 10:23 AM IST India’s largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki unveiled two new concept cars — SX4 S-Cross and Ciaz — as it kick-started the 12th Auto Expo in Greater Noida on Wenesday. Full Coverage: Auto Expo 2014
India's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India unveiled two new concept cars — SX4 S-Cross and Ciaz — as it kick-started the 12th Auto Expo in Greater Noida on Wenesday.
Though the carmaker didn't specify when the cars would hit the roads, it said the cars were meant to target markets in India and China.
The Ciaz would give competition to cars such as the Hyundai Verna and the Honda City.
The CIAZ has a sporty look and belongs to the A3 sedan segment. The company would consider the future of the car based on the feedback it gets at the Auto Expo 2014.
The SX4 S-Cross has a four-wheel-drive system. It offers four various driving modes for better performance and safety. The car would compete with the likes of Mahindra XUV.
"The SX4 S-Cross and Ciaz are models to expand our product range in future," Maruti Suzuki India managing director and CEO Kenichi Ayukawa said at the Auto Expo.
Commenting on the importance of the two new concepts, Suzuki Motor corporation executive vice-president T Suzuki said: 'In 2004, we had the first global model launch of Swift and these two are in line with that...The two cars we are unveiling today are aimed to meet the growing demand of sedans in India, China and elsewhere.'
He said since 1955, Suzuki has sold 50 million vehicles.
Speaking on the sales prospects, Ayukawa said: 'The automobile market in India is on a slowdown. Our effort is to achieve sales of last (fiscal) year in this year.'
The company had registered sales of around 10.6 lakh units in the domestic market in 2012-13.
Apart from the two concepts, Maruti Suzuki India is displaying 14 different models, including variants of existing models such as Swift, Alto, Ritz, Ertiga and Dzire.
(With inputs from PTI)
Video courtesy: Autocar India


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HALF BAKED proposals for web browser cookie regulation have left the European Union (EU) mired in disagreement.
Last year, the EU passed a law that requires companies to obtain consent from web users before they can track files such as cookies on users' computers. Such a law is welcome, but the realities of putting it into practice have come back to bite the EU as nations, lawmakers, advertisers, Internet firms and privacy advocates are unable to agree on the terms.
Questions about what constitutes user agreement and whether each and every cookie requires user agreement are all topics of contention. Regulators have said there will be guidance by early next year. They don't have long, as the EU's 27 member nations are supposed to codify the law into national laws by May. That in itself could lead to problems as different countries might place their own interpretations on the law resulting in a regulatory nightmare.
Cookies are text files kept on users' machines in order to store information that is typically used by websites and advertising companies to track users. The regulation of cookies has alarmed advertisers, because it would bring awareness of web user tracking to a lot of people who previously have been oblivious to the activity.
The UK has signaled that it will consider users' web browser settings sufficient to indicate consent for cookies to be stored on their machine.
The law will have implications for not just advertisers but also websites that rely on cookies in order to operate. Even Microsoft, which faces the possibility of having to modify its Internet Explorer web browser is talking sense, with John Vassallo, the Vole's legal counsel in Brussels saying, "in the end, what matters is harmonised rules across Europe." For once, we agree with what Microsoft is saying.
It is likely that the arguing about cookies will continue right up until the deadline of May 2011. Internet firms and advertisers must hope that conflicts will result in the EU member states giving up. µ
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El Salvador continues to invest in Bitcoin (BTC) and improve the accessibility of the most well-known cryptocurrency to its citizens.
Chivo joins the Lightning network
El Salvador, the first country in the world to adopt Bitcoin as a legal tender, continues its progress. After encountering quite a few problems with its Chivo wallet, the government has been working hard to correct the issues encountered.
Looking for a solution to make its application more efficient and secure, the country has just contracted with the American company AlphaPoint. Based in New York, the company started working on Chivo in December. In particular, it has improved the user interface and corrected various bugs that were marring the use of the wallet.
But the real news is the integration of the Lightning Network management. This solution, called “second layer”, uses the Bitcoin network. It reduces its usage costs and improves its transaction speed.
“AlphaPoint has enhanced Lightning integration for low-cost, near-instantaneous Bitcoin transactions via QR addresses and Lightning. This is the first deployment of Lightning at this scale. The Chivo Wallet app currently supports millions of Salvadorans, many of whom are accessing financial services for the first time.”Igor Telyatnikov, co-founder and CEO of AlphaPoint
This new capability will allow for tiny, penny-sized payments. This adoption will contribute to democratize and facilitate the payment in the whole country.
1,500 additional bitcoin ATMs
In addition to the Chivo wallet upgrade, President Nayib Bukele also announced the implementation of 1,500 Bitcoin ATMs.
With the 205 ATMs already present, El Salvador will thus reach 1,700 ATMs, scattered over an area of 21,000 km².
For comparison, in December 2021, there were 1,315 ATMs scattered across Europe and Russia. France, which is about 25 times the size of El Salvador, has… 0.
The stated goal is to allow anyone, anywhere in the country, to be able to buy or sell bitcoin. By combining the ease of access to bitcoin anywhere in the country and the use of the Lightning Network, access to the currency is completely revolutionized.
In fact, the government is studying the possibility of issuing loans directly in Bitcoin, with interest rates at the lowest possible level.
“Small loans in Bitcoins will provide access to digital money for the unbanked while helping them build a credit history. El Salvador’s economy will grow stronger by empowering its small businesses.”Mónica Taher, director of international affairs for technology and the economy of El Salvador
As another Salvadoran, Henri, used to say, “The best day is tomorrow. And there is no doubt that the country has many good days ahead.
El Salvador has not finished making a name for itself, and this, despite the blows of the opponents of the regime or the IMF. The president continues to invest, and it is safe to assume that he will continue to do so throughout the year.


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Harper Lee has the second hit in her literary career, as her “To Kill a Mockingbird” sequel is a best-seller before it’s even released.
Harper Lee’s long-awaited sequel to “To Kill a Mockingbird” could stink, but it doesn’t matter — it’s already a best seller.
Hours before it officially hits the bookshelves Tuesday, “Go Set a Watchman” is a hit, with 2 million copies in print, according to publisher HarperCollins.
That’s the most ever for a first printing from the media giant, says Tina Andreadis, a company spokeswoman.
“We knew it was going to be big because (‘Mockingbird’) is the most beloved book and people always wanted to read something else from Harper Lee,” says Andreadis.
“Go Set A Watchman” comes out on Tuesday.
But just how big has been surprising.
Presales apparently made this the most popular book since the last Harry Potter installment, although HarperCollins declined to cite numbers.
A staple of high school lit classes and a classic movie, “To Kill a Mockingbird” has a huge built-in fan base. But “Watchman” reveals a new side of the now-72-year-old Atticus Finch, the once-crusading lawyer who in the new book attends KKK meetings.
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Medici Ventures, Overstock’s blockchain technology company, has invested an undisclosed sum in a Utah based company called Bitsy that specializes in bridging cryptocurrencies with fiat.
The investment marks one of several that Medici Ventures has made in recent years as its parent company, under the leadership of CEO Patrick Byrne, continues to tout blockchain technology’s long-term prospects.
Medici Ventures believes Bitsy’s ability to bridge cryptocurrency and fiat will make global cryptocurrency transactions more secure and support other blockchain businesses the company has invested in, such as tZERO, Bitt, Ripio.
“Bitsy and the work it is doing dovetails perfectly with Medici Ventures’ goal of investing in companies that are democratizing capital by eliminating middlemen and re-humanizing commerce,” said Jonathan Johnson, an Overstock.com board member and the president of Medici Ventures, who has joined Bitsy’s board of directors.
Empowering Crypto Users
Bitsy enables cryptocurrency users to maintain control of their money when making international transactions while complying with U.S. anti-money laundering laws. Steve Hopkins, Medici Ventures chief operating officer, realized that most companies in Medici Ventures’ portfolio were not able to operate in the U.S. on account of anti-money laundering requirements. Customers could not make international transfers because centralized exchanges did not give them control of their own funds.
In order to make international bitcoin transactions, customers had to rely on vendors that actually transferred the bitcoins, Johnson told CCN. These vendors often had questionable reputations and in some cases were arrested for unlawful money transmissions.
“So, Steve set out to create a bridge between fiat currency and cryptocurrency that would give users absolute control over their own money but still comply with U.S. law,” Johnson said. “Overstock CEO Patrick Byrne was quick to recognize the value of this approach and to support Bitsy with investment and access to Medici’s world class blockchain developers.”
Bridging Crypto And Fiat
Bitsy is unique in the way it bridges cryptocurrency and fiat. Where centralized exchanges like Coinbase and Kraken hold users’ keys, Bitsy provides them their own private keys, removing the need to police whom users send money to.
“Recently, Coinbase reminded us that its users don’t actually control the funds in Coinbase by announcing that users could no longer send funds to Wikileaks from their Coinbase accounts,” Johnson said. “Bitsy’s decentralized architecture fully complies with all anti-money laundering laws and still allows users to send bitcoin to anyone in the world without permission from Bitsy or anyone else.”
Biometric security removes the need for passwords, thereby closing a security risk. “With Bitsy, your face and your fingerprint will be your password,” Johnson said. “And you will always be the only person with your face and fingerprint.” Such security is especially relevant in light of the more than 2.6 million identity records were stolen last year, he noted.
The key recovery system allows customers to recover lost funds, should the need arise. The company’s multi-key generation process allows its management and an independent third party to assist customers who have lost or destroyed their wallets to recover their funds.
“Bitsy doesn’t hold customers’ keys and does not have access to them,” Johnson explained. “We simply don’t want to be the target of hackers like so many other centralized exchanges are. So, there’s no need to worry if you lose or forget a password.”
Supporting Other Medici Companies
The acquisition bodes well for the company in light of some of its other blockchain acquisitions, such as Bitt and Ripio, in ways that will strengthen customers’ remittances overseas.
“Current remittance conduits are very expensive and most hurt the poorest among us,” Johnson said. “A link between Bitsy, Bitt and Ripio could offer low cost methods to send funds internationally to places where most people don’t have a bank account. We are optimistic that Bitsy will serve as a regulatory bridge between U.S. consumers and their relatives living overseas, including places such as the Caribbean and Latin America where Bitt and Ripio are located,” Johnson said.
He further noted that the Bitsy wallet could support tZERO’s plans to develop the next generation of securities markets.
More Acquisitions Possible
When evaluating a blockchain investment opportunity, Johnson said Medici Ventures focuses on whether or not it is based on a good reason to use blockchain technology, the company’s industry expertise, the quality of the technology and the management’s ability to execute its business plan.
He sees blockchain’s greatest impact on the payments, capital markets, voting and supply chain industries in the next two years.
Johnson was unable to project when Medici Ventures will become profitable. “Right now, our focus is on advancing blockchain technology,” he said. “We think we’ve got some great early stage companies in our portfolio.”
He chose not to disclose how much Medici Ventures invested in Bitsy.
Featured image from Shutterstock.
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Xbox Game Pass for PC will be available for $9.99 per month as of next week as it leaves the beta phase.
With the launch of the Xbox Series X and Series S this year, Microsoft is expanding its Xbox All Access financing options to more countries.
With Microsoft officially announcing Xbox Series S earlier today, now you can have a look at its leaked announcement trailer providing more details.
Xbox Game Studios, PlayStation Studios, Bethesda, 2K Games, EA, and Activision-Blizzard will have new showcases for Opening Night Live.
The PS5 rockets ahead of the Xbox Series X in terms of views on their announcement video.
Exclusives are important for the sales of video game consoles, but Xbox Series X still has plenty to offer at launch even without Halo Infinite.
Phil Spencer has recently teased the arrival of some exciting news about things coming to Xbox Game Pass.
Apple's decision to deny iOS users access to xCloud is terrible and Xbox users are starting to voice their displeasure with it.
Xbox Game Pass is bringing in seven more games later this month for both console and PC while 5 other titles will be leaving the service.
Microsoft confirmed that they will still support Sony's Dualshock 4 controller on xCloud after next-gen begins.
Now that Xbox has decided to change up the typical formula, measuring the console and brand's success might be a little ambiguous this time.
Check out 30 minutes of uncut Grounded gameplay.
Ahead of the Xbox Series X launch, Microsoft has revealed that 12-month subscriptions to Xbox Live Gold are being discontinued. Why?
With the accessibility of Xbox Game Pass, the teams that are apart of Xbox Game Studios have more flexibility than ever before.
Xbox Game Pass has already shown that titles that come to the service sell better after and Descenders looks to be joining that club as well.
Here's what you can expect to see landing on Xbox Game Pass before February wraps up.
The upcoming Xbox Series X appears to allow for expandable SSD storage upgrades, enabling larger downloads and faster streaming speeds.


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The department of telecom (DoT) is planning to make it mandatory for mobile phones to support Hindi and at least one regional language within the next 3-4 months, reports Livemint. Through this new regulation, the DoT aims to allow users to communicate in local languages for accessing government services like e-payment through mobile phones.
A senior official from the DoT told PTI that to make Digital India a success, “broadband cannot be limited to English-speaking middle and upper class Indians and it needs to go down to rural areas”.
The regulation is also a part of the government’s programme called Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (Disha) scheme, which aims to widen IT literacy among the citizens, especially in the rural expanses. Besides IT literacy, the scheme will also educate and train citizens “to effectively access various e-governance services being offered by the government and other agencies”.
In December last year, the Indian Cellular Association elaborated some of the standards the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is working on. The standards include requiring a minimum of 4MB memory on all phones, out of which 2MB should be reserved for official Indian languages support. The devices should also support message readability in 14 scripts and 22 official languages, other than being able to support text input in English, Hindi and at least one other Indian language. The final standards will be published after consultations with the industry and other stakeholders.
With smartphone shipments expected to outgrow feature phone shipments by 2016, more first time users in India will lay their hands on smartphones; preloading local languages in their phones will be of huge advantage to them.
Digital Indic language initiatives
IDC points out that one out of three smartphones shipped in India in Q3 FY2015 are 4G enabled, hence there is an impending need to add Indic language support to services offered online through apps, and mobile platforms.
Several Indic Language – support initiatives have been introduced in 2015 by many local companies like Snapdeal, Quikr, Hike, Khan Academy, among others, as well as foreign companies like Microsoft and Alibaba.
Some highlights include:
Indic keyboards apps including Swathanthra Malayalam Computing’s (SMC) app that supports a pool of Indian languages, as well as Swiftkey’s expected March update which will add 22 constitutional languages of India, are examples of Indic keyboard apps available for smartphone users.
The HRD Ministry’s effort to add 1 million digitized books and journals from 100 institutes in the National Digital Library, which includes books and journals in Sanskrit, Bengali, Hindi, Kannada, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu, other than English.
The year 2015 witnessed a large number of mobile and smartphone companies stepping up to provide local languages support, if the pace remains, we can expect a higher smartphone penetration.
Note that we had discussed the possibility of the Indian Government mandating Indic languages for all mobile handsets at #NAMAindic in 2014. The conference underscored the need for standards, documentation of fonts, and different fonts for different use cases. Read our Indic language wishlist for the Government. More on #NAMAindic here.


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Apple’s highly anticipated iOS 17 was announced at its June keynote event, with exciting new features such as Standby mode and improvements to apps like Messages. However, the tech giant has remained elusive about the exact release date, merely hinting at a fall release, leaving tech enthusiasts and Apple users on the edge of their seats.
Analyzing past Apple events and iOS releases, we can discern a pattern that suggests the release of iOS 17 may happen shortly after this year’s September event. Apple’s tradition of holding events in June and September has been consistent for over a decade, and the release of the next iOS usually follows within a week of the September event. However, Apple has been tight-lipped about the specifics of its September event and the iOS 17 release, keeping the tech world in suspense.
Predicting the Release Date of iOS 17
Apple’s annual iOS updates are a highlight of the tech calendar. This year, the tech giant announced the 17th version of their operating system at the June keynote. The new release is eagerly awaited for its promising features like Standby mode and improvements to apps like Messages. However, the exact release date remains a mystery, with Apple only indicating a fall release.
Decoding Apple’s Release Pattern
In order to make an educated guess about the release date of iOS 17, one can look at Apple’s past behaviour. The tech giant has a pattern of holding events every June and September. The new iOS versions are usually released a few days after the September event.
For instance, in 2018, Apple’s event was held on Sept. 12 and the company launched iOS 12 five days later on Sept. 17. Even in years when the release took longer, like 2019, 2014 and 2013, the new iOS version was out eight or nine days after the event.
Moreover, the gap between Apple’s September event and the release of the next iOS version has been decreasing over the past decade. Last year, iOS 16 was released just five days after the company’s Sept. 7 event.
Looking at the Days of the Week
In the past decade, all iOS version updates were released during the week, with none being released on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Wednesdays and Mondays have been the most popular days for Apple to release iOS versions. Four iOS versions were released on a Wednesday, while three versions came out on a Monday. With this pattern, it’s likely that iOS 17 will be released on a Monday or Wednesday.
The Prediction for iOS 17
If we consider Bloomberg’s tech reporter Mark Gurman’s predicted event dates of Sept. 12 or 13, and assume that Apple will release iOS 17 five or six days later, we get a timeframe of Sept. 17 to 19. However, Apple does not typically release iOS updates during the weekend, and Sept. 17 falls on a Sunday this year. Therefore, potential iOS 17 release dates could be Sept. 18 or 19.
Based on Apple’s past patterns, my prediction is that Apple will release iOS 17 on Monday, Sept. 18.
Apple’s consistency in their release patterns gives us a pretty clear indication of when we can expect iOS 17. While we can’t confirm the date until Apple does, it’s safe to say that mid-September is a very likely timeframe. In the meantime, you can check out the iOS 17 public beta to get a glimpse of what’s to come. With new features and app improvements, there’s plenty to look forward to with iOS 17.


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Friday, October 24, 2014, 04:04 pm PT (07:04 pm ET)
According to recently published statistics, Apple’s latest OS X Yosemite release is seeing slightly better take up rates than last year’s OS X Mavericks launch, with current North American distribution pegged at 12.8 percent as of Wednesday.
Source: Chitika Research
The results, provided by the research arm of ad network Chitika, found OS X Yosemite accounted for more than one percent of all North American Web traffic generated by OS X users on launch day. This is more than double first-day adoption rates set by Apple’s prior OS X Mavericks and OS X Mountain Lion releases.
Chitika points out that the slightly higher uptake could be a result of higher Mac sales over the past year. Last week, Apple announced it sold 5.5 million Macs over the three months ending in September, an all-time record. The performance smashed Apple’s previous record set in the fourth fiscal quarter of 2011, when the company sold 4.9 million Mac computers.
As for the disparity in Web traffic compared to OS X Mountain Lion, the research firm notes the two-year-old operating system was a $19.99 upgrade from OS X Lion, potentially prompting slower initial uptake. Since Mavericks, Apple has made OS X updates free to download from the Mac App Store.
Apple released OS X Yosemite on Oct. 16 with a new “flat” aesthetic and support for so-called “Continuity” features that integrate tightly with iOS 8. For example, users can now place and receive phone calls, send and receive SMS texts and create instant hotspots with a connected iPhone.
Article source: http://appleinsider.com.feedsportal.com/c/33975/f/616168/s/3fceb26f/sc/15/l/0Lappleinsider0N0Carticles0C140C10A0C240Cfirst0Eweek0Eos0Ex0Eyosemite0Eadoption0Erate0Eoutpaces0Emavericks0Enow0Eat0E128/story01.htm
Friday, October 24, 2014, 06:35 am PT (09:35 am ET)
The Amazon Rewards Visa was not compatible with Apple Pay when it debuted on Monday, telling users that the card was not yet supported. But that’s changed as of Friday, and users can now scan or enter the card and add it to their digital wallet.
Given the variety of items available for purchase on Amazon.com, the company’s rewards card is particularly popular. Many AppleInsider readers reached out this week to express frustration that the card did not support Apple Pay at launch.
In addition to offering 3 percent back on Amazon.com purchases, the card also gives 2 percent back on purchases at gas stations, restaurants and drug stores. Customers can also earn 1 percent back on all other purchases, and the points can be used toward Amazon.com purchases.
Another major bank not yet participating in Apple Pay is Discover, which as of Friday still cannot be added to the digital wallet service for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Discover has said it is in talks with Apple regarding the new service, but no timeframe for support has been given.
Users who have already entered other credit cards into Passbook but want to change their default card to the Amazon Visa can follow AppleInsider’s in-depth guide on how to change the default Apple Pay credit card. Users with multiple cards enter into Apple Pay can also tap the collection of cards at the bottom of the screen when completing a transaction and manually choose a card for a one-time purchase.
Article source: http://appleinsider.com.feedsportal.com/c/33975/f/616168/s/3fcb7181/sc/36/l/0Lappleinsider0N0Carticles0C140C10A0C240Camazon0Erewards0Evisa0Ecard0Eadds0Esupport0Efor0Eapple0Epay/story01.htm
Friday, October 24, 2014, 07:35 am PT (10:35 am ET)
One of the biggest changes in OS X Yosemite is Apple’s Spotlight search, which has gained a completely new, front-and-center look, and also adds the ability to search well beyond your Mac.
The link to Spotlight search remains in the upper right corner in Yosemite, but clicking it — or using the command-space shortcut — no longer brings up a drop-down menu. Instead, the Spotlight search bar occupies in the middle of the screen in a big, bold presence.
As users begin to type, the text box will automatically suggest words and begin to list appropriate search results. In addition to previous results like applications, files, emails, definitions and conversations, Spotlight now also taps into websites, the App Store and iTunes Store, movie times, and even current news.
Results from Spotlight in Yosemite appear quickly, populating the pop-up window within a matter of seconds. And the Spotlight window automatically disappears once a user moves on to another task.
Results are presented in a list on the left side, and selected items can be previewed with a large QuickLook Pane presented on the right. Any file that can be viewed using QuickLook can be previewed within Spotlight.
This quick preview of content includes information from the Web and external sources, such as movie times, Wikipedia pages or an App Store listing.
OS X Yosemite also adds new calculation functions to Spotlight, with unit conversions of distance, temperature and currency. For example, entering “100 dollars” into Spotlight automatically presents the conversion rates to euros, British pounds, Japanese yen, Canadian dollars, and Swiss francs, with euros receiving the most prominent placement in the QuickLook pane.
Web data in Spotlight is pulled from a variety of sources as well. While up-to-date currency information is culled from Yahoo, movie times are provided by Fandango, and general Web search results come from Microsoft Bing.
As before, Yosemite users can still choose which sources to include in Spotlight searches through System Preferences. A total of 21 categories are included, and all are enabled by default.
Under the Privacy pane in Spotlight settings, users can also add a list of folders or disks they want to prevent Spotlight from searching.
Following the launch of Yosemite last week, some critics alleged that Apple was automatically collecting user information, including search and location data, through its Spotlight Suggestions. But Apple has addressed those concerns by explaining that it minimizes the amount of information collected.
According to Apple, the company doesn’t retain IP addresses from users’ devices, and exact location data is never sent by Spotlight. The Spotlight Suggestions feature is also said to avoid using a persistent identifier, so search history can’t be tracked.
Apple devices use a temporary anonymous session ID for a 15-minute period before the ID is discarded. And for Bing searches, only commonly searched terms and city-level location information is provided to Microsoft.
Users still concerned about the privacy of Spotlight Suggestions can opt out via System Preferences. Spotlight Location Services and Bing results can also be switched off to a user’s liking.
Article source: http://appleinsider.com.feedsportal.com/c/33975/f/616168/s/3fcbb1d9/sc/4/l/0Lappleinsider0N0Carticles0C140C10A0C240Cgetting0Ethe0Emost0Eout0Eof0Ethe0Erevamped0Eos0Ex0Espotlight0Esearch0Ein0Eyosemite/story01.htm
Friday, October 24, 2014, 09:57 am PT (12:57 pm ET)
Sales from Apple’s iTunes Store have fallen significantly thus far in 2014, helping to push forward the company’s alleged plans to revamp the recently acquired Beats Music and make it part of the iTunes brand.
Citing people familiar with the matter, The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that sales from Apple’s iTunes Store have fallen between 13 and 14 percent so far this year. That’s much worse than last year, when global revenue from music downloads fell 2.1 percent.
The report also reaffirmed an earlier rumor claiming that Apple may be looking to end the Beats Music brand, and instead repackage the service it acquired as part of a $3 billion acquisition of Beats earlier this year. It’s been said that the branding change would more closely align the property with Apple’s other first-party offerings, such as the iTunes Store and iTunes Radio.
According to the Journal, Beats Music will relaunch next year completely rebuilt, and integrated into iTunes.
The report comes on the heels of a fresh rumor this week that claimed Apple is looking to cut the price of its subscription music service to $5 per month. Currently, Beats Music costs $9.99 per month on a month-to-month basis, or $99.99 if users are willing to sign up for a full year.
The acquisition of Beats Music represented Apple’s entrance into a key subscription market where iTunes Store downloads and iTunes Radio streaming service did not compete. The subscription Beats Music service allows on-demand streaming of tracks and albums, as opposed to the randomized nature of iTunes Radio.
Streaming has become increasingly important in the music industry as sales of digital albums have been declining. Many users who previously purchased music have been migrating to services like Spotify and Pandora.
Article source: http://appleinsider.com.feedsportal.com/c/33975/f/616168/s/3fcca46a/sc/28/l/0Lappleinsider0N0Carticles0C140C10A0C240Citunes0Esales0Edown0E130Ethis0Eyear0Eas0Eapple0Eplans0Eto0Erebuild0Erebrand0Ebeats0Emusic0Esubscription0Eservice/story01.htm
Friday, October 24, 2014, 05:28 am PT (08:28 am ET)
Tim Cook’s tour of China continues with another interview with local media, this time with the Apple CEO telling users in the country that he had “very open” discussions on privacy and security with the Chinese government, following a series of attacks in the country targeting Apple users.
Cook met with Ma Kai, China’s vice premier, earlier this week in Beijing, and the two discussed “protection of users’ information” in the wake of hackers’ efforts to obtain iCloud user logins. Cook acknowledged those talks — but not the hacks — in an interview with China’s Xinhua news agency, and suggested the discussions were productive.
Chinese activist group GreatFire.org has accused its government of being involved in the attacks, which have seen iCloud user data harvested by spoofing the icloud.com website. The “man-in-the-middle” attacks are said to utilize incredibly deep access to the servers of government-owned Chinese providers, which has helped fuel speculation that the Chinese government is cooperating with hackers.
China’s government has denied the allegations, and has said it too has been targeted by hackers. The iCloud-focused efforts came to light when users in China began to receive security warnings from Apple’s iCloud service.
Similar hacks have been implemented in the past, also targeting American companies with services on the Internet, including Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft Hotmail.
In his interview with Xinhua, Cook also said bringing Apple Pay to China is “on top of the list” of things he wants to do. The CEO called China a “key market,” and said that any service Apple provides, he plans to bring to the country.
Apple is rumored to partner with UnionPay to launch Apple Pay on the newly released iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. However, the Cupertino, Calif., company has not yet provided any international launch dates for the currently U.S.-only Apple Pay service.
In another Chinese media interview conducted this week, Cook also said that Apple plans to build 25 new retail stores in China within the next two years. That would bring its total number of locations up from 15 to 40.
On his trip, Cook also stopped by Foxconn’s iPhone factory in Zhengzhou, where he met with assembly line workers. The CEO also tweeted out a photo of himself sitting with a Foxconn worker putting the finishing touches on a new iPhone 6 unit.
Article source: http://appleinsider.com.feedsportal.com/c/33975/f/616168/s/3fca7935/sc/4/l/0Lappleinsider0N0Carticles0C140C10A0C240Capple0Eceo0Etim0Ecook0Esays0Eprivacy0Etalks0Ewith0Echinese0Egovernment0Ewere0Every0Eopen/story01.htm
Thursday, October 23, 2014, 06:50 pm PT (09:50 pm ET)
Ron Johnson, Apple’s former head of retail widely recognized as spearheading the Apple Store initiative, took the wraps off a startup called Enjoy, which seeks to aid shoppers making online purchases.
Talking to The Wall Street Journal on Thursday, Johnson said Enjoy is a service that will change the way consumers buy “things that matter,” allowing customers who start their shopping on the Web to connect with a product before making a decision. The strategy is akin to the “try before you buy” policy that has seen great success with Apple Stores around the world.
While he wouldn’t offer specific details about the service, Johnson said Enjoy will help customers make informed choices, something lacking in the fast-paced world of online shopping.
“That’s when you typically want something more than fast delivery; you might want a little help,” Johnson said. “There’s a place for high touch in a high-tech world.”
A customer looking to buy a new GoPro camera was used as an example. According to Johnson, Enjoy will help consumers understand more about the capabilities of products with which they are unfamiliar, like more expensive one-time buys or devices packed with new technology.
“There’s more to life than logistics. There’s more to life than a review,” Johnson said. “Just because we’re moving online, it doesn’t mean that need for a connection is going away. No one has really thought that through yet.”
Rumors of what has now been announced as Enjoy first circulated in September, when The Information claimed Johnson was working on an eco-friendly on-demand product delivery service. While not completely dismissing the report, Johnson said, “We don’t need another delivery service.”
Joining Johnson at Enjoy are two former Apple execs, Jerry McDougal, who was a VP of Retail in Cupertino, and Tom Suiter, a creative director noted for his work on the iMac campaign.
A former Target executive, Johnson is perhaps best known for realizing the Apple Store concept, a major revenue driver for Apple that sells more product per square foot than any other retailer. He left the company in 2011 to take on the role of CEO at J.C. Penney. Johnson was fired subsequently
in early 2013 due to slumping sales. Enjoy marks his return to the world of retail.
Enjoy has already raised $30 million in venture capital from the likes of Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers, Oak Investment Partners and Andreessen Horowitz. The service is slated to launch in 2015.
Article source: http://appleinsider.com.feedsportal.com/c/33975/f/616168/s/3fc60c49/sc/36/l/0Lappleinsider0N0Carticles0C140C10A0C230Cformer0Eapple0Eexec0Eron0Ejohnson0Ewants0Eto0Emake0Eonline0Eshopping0Epersonal0Ewith0Enew0Estartup0Eenjoy/story01.htm
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The textile industry in Pakistan imported 624,945 tonnes of raw
cotton between July to March against 338,244 tonnes last year an
increase of 84.76 percent. The import of synthetic fibre grew by
52.29 percent to 346,254 tonnes as against 227,365 tonnes last
year. The import of synthetic and artificial silk yarn stood at
316,656 metric tons this year vs 210,810 metric tons last years
an increase of 50.21pc.
Pakistan has decided to import cotton from the Central Asian
states through the Torkham border. The Ministry of Commerce has
sought the ECC’s approval to import cotton from Afghanistan and
Central Asian states, including Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The
Economic Coordination Committee will take up the MoC’s summary
on cotton import.
Pakistan’s exports of textile and clothing posted a growth of
30.4 per cent from a year ago. The export value of these sectors
edged up to $1.355 billion in March from $1.039 bn over the
corresponding month of last year. Growth in exports of
value-added sectors contributed to an increase in overall
exports from the sectors.
The cotton yield fell to nine maund per acre during the season
ended with just 5.5 million bales, almost one third of the
production we achieved with 14.8 m bales a few years ago. The
Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) strongly opposed
cotton imports from India, maintaining that the move would
discourage local growers from sowing this cash crop.
National Food Security and Research Minister Syed Fakhar Imam
said that cotton growers would soon be given special incentives
by the federal and provincial governments in the form of
cotton-specific subsidies. He said that Punjab Seed Council has
introduced 17 new varieties, including a double-gene variety,
whereas Sindh has introduced three new varieties.
The fortnightly report of the Pakistan Cotton Ginners
Association shows that 72,000 bales of cotton were sold to
exporters. During the past three months, cotton yarn 30/1 prices
have been increased by 15%. In the last six months, the dollar
has also depreciated against the Pak rupee by 5.58% down from Rs
166.5 to Rs 157.2. Exporters previously had negotiated and
finalized their export orders at a dollar rate of Rs 166.5.
The garment industry wants early approval of textile policy
2020-25 by ECC as it is vital for new investment and marketing
plan in this major export-oriented sector.


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By Alexandra Jane, The Root
Just ten years ago, 80% of Black beauty supply store shelves were stocked with products for chemically straightened hair while 20% of products were made for the naturalistas among us. According to Forbes, the opposite is true today. And as more Black women make the transition from relaxed to natural hair, that figure becomes slimmer and slimmer. So what’s driving this change, and could it ultimately lead to the demise and death of the perm era? Well, that depends on who you ask.
Tabnie Dozier started getting relaxers in kindergarten, and spent the next 25 years getting the treatment routinely. For those of us who have ever subscribed to the system, you know how it goes. Every 4-8 weeks, you feel the outgrowth of the chemicals, and the new growth from your roots indicating that it’s time for another trip to the salon. The white, creamy mix is applied and you let it sit long enough for it to tingle just a little bit before rinsing it out, praying there are no scalp burns left behind. For Dozier however, a television journalist who felt the pressure to conform to Eurocentric beauty standards of having long, straight hair for years, the routine was growing old, and much too risky.
“No, I will not return to chemical relaxers,” Dozier, who now operates her own media consulting business, told Forbes. “I can’t imagine what my mother went through in the 1990s and feeling even more pressure then to adapt to status quo or societal acceptability. But now that I have my own voice and the audacity to wear my crown anyway I choose, I won’t return to damaging chemicals.”
While market research firm Kline & Co. reports that sales from chemical straightening products have been on the decline for at least a decade (for a multitude of reasons), a recent study conducted by The National Institutes of Health has assessed that “Women who have used hair straightening chemicals, or relaxers, may be at higher risk of developing uterine cancer.”
“We estimated that 1.64% of women who never used hair straighteners would go on to develop uterine cancer by the age of 70; but for frequent users, that risk goes up to 4.05%,” said lead author Alexandra White, the head of the NIEHS Environment and Cancer Epidemiology group.
Owner of Freedom Curls salon in Indianapolis Laquita Burnett tells Forbes that she stopped offering relaxer services in 2013 after quitting her job at a JC Penny salon location. She mentions that many of her former clients were lawyers and nurses who, like Dozier, felt the need to be in accordance with a “professional” aesthetic that never considered Black hair textures. Every six to eight weeks, they would be back in her chair like clockwork.
“That’s why they called it the creamy crack,” Burnett said. “It’s addictive, you can’t stop doing it and you have to keep doing it so that your hair can stay straight.” But Burnett says she also witnessed a sharp decline in women seeking the service as salons closed during the pandemic and many were forced to go natural.
For Alnisa Hanks however, owner of Glamorous Styles salon in Union New Jersey, she says that while it’s true that fewer of her customers are getting relaxers these days, she doesn’t ever see the service departing entirely.
“Relaxers will be here,” said Hanks. “I can’t see them going anywhere. Not unless they just decide altogether it’s linked to cancer and … pull them all off the shelves.”


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Apple has just sent out invities to the members of the press. The event will be held on Monday, March 21st at the company's Town Hall auditorium.
The following products have been widely known to be introduced at the event:
- New iPad Pro (Air form-factor) with 4k camera
- iPhone SE (Special Edition), 4 inch
- New Apple Watch Bands
What we're secretly hoping they launch:
- Retina Macbook 2016
What are you looking forward to?
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